Knut Værnes has a prestigious track record in Norwegian music - not limited exclusively to jazz - including work with the rock bands "Salt & Pepper," "Shimmy", and the fusion band "Vanessa"; with Jon Eberson, Nils Petter Molvaer, Håkon Graf, Sidsel Endresen, Jonas Fjeld, Jan Eggum, Knut Reiersrud, Bjorn Klakegg and Frode Alnæs, and Terje Gewelt.

He is co-owner of the music companies Curling Legs and Music Operators. He is in FONO, sitting as chairman of the Association of Norwegian jazz musicians for a period, and was chair of the Committee for the Norwegian Grammy award. He also teaches at the Nordic Institute for Scene and Studio.